[YIKES] AI Now Enables Subliminal Image "Inception"

Stu Sjouwerman | Sep 23, 2023

subliminalSeen Christopher Nolan's movie Inception? If you haven't, it's about a thief who is given the task of planting an idea into the mind of a CEO. The technology of implanting ideas is nothing new. Communist regimes were the very early countries developing mind control technologies. American psychologists have experimented with subliminal messaging including in advertising.

Let's have a quick look at the definition of the word subliminal:

  1. sub·lim·i·nal  -  of a stimulus or mental process below the threshold of sensation or consciousness; perceived by or affecting someone's mind without their being aware of it
Well, you can now instruct an AI to create an "optical illusion" (the most blatant euphemism I have seen this year). This is scary. Especially when you know that AI will soon be able to create live-action full-size motion pictures. 
 
The picture spells the word OBEY in black if you had not noticed yet. The Stable Diffusion picture was shared on Twitter (now X). If you step back you start seeing it, but the small version above makes it clear right away.
 
StepBackUntilYouSeeIt

This is the kind of thing that you would want to see regulated, but with bad actors releasing their own models, this is not expected to be very effective, unless someone develops scalable, widespread technology that recognizes this type of thing. In the meantime, being trained against disinformation and manipulation is more valuable than ever.

Access the World’s Largest Security Awareness Library

Explore over 1,000 interactive modules, videos, and games designed to sharpen user instincts and secure AI interactions. Get instant access to our Free Training Preview and find the perfect content to fortify your security culture.

Get Your Free Training Preview

Secure the Digital Workforce: Human + AI

KnowBe4 empowers the human and AI workforce to make safer security decisions every day. Trusted by over 70,000 organizations worldwide, we help strengthen security culture and manage risk. Our comprehensive AI-driven platform includes awareness and compliance training, cloud email security, real-time coaching, crowdsourced anti-phishing, AI Defense Agents, agent security and more. As the only global security platform of its kind, KnowBe4 provides personalized content, tools, and techniques to keep the modern workforce safe from phishing, vishing, deepfakes, and emerging threats.

Get the latest insights, trends and security news. Subscribe to CyberheistNews.